Bridge for stringed instruments



May 7, 1940 E. R. BORN BRIDGE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 9, 1939 allel'lllll"il I I'll/IA VEI: .4

6 J- .F. R. 07 20 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a bridge for use in connection with violins and other stringed instruments, one of the objects being to reduce the amount of material used in the construction of the bridge without changing its exterior design whereby vibrations are transmitted more readily from the strings to the body of the instrument.

A further object is to provide a bridge which is hollow and thus greatly reduced in weight without, however, sacrificing strength or efiiciency.

A still further object is to soconstruct the bridge that it can adapt itself more readily to the'contour of the surface of the body than.

bridges of ordinary types, and will not indent or otherwise mar the body at the points of contact therewith.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of the bridge.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section therethrough.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference i designates the front and back walls of the bridge which are formed of thin pieces of wood, these walls being provided with openings 2 and 3 of the usual shape at the center and sides respectively and having the usual arched top edges 4. Adjacent to the ends of the walls are extensions 5 forming portions of the legs, each of these extensions being convex from end to end as shown at 6.

The walls I are spaced apart but converge upwardly, their upper edge portions in the structure illustrated, being joined by spacing blocks 1 suitably afiixed thereto and located to receive pressure from the strings of the instrument. It will be noted that each of these blocks, as well as the walls I, are notched as at 8 to provide seats for the strings. The blocks are spaced apart in the structure illustrated but it is to be understood that, if desired, spacing between the blocks may be eliminated.

Interposed between and secured to the lower corner portions of the walls I are. foot blocks 9 preferably formed of a very soft wood, these blocks extending upwardly to the lower portions of the openings 3 and having their upper surfaces converging downwardly along curved lines, as shown at Hi, to an opening ll formed between the walls and also between the foot blocks 9. Thus it will be seen that a hollow bridge is produced, the same being open at the bottom and sides and, in the structure illustrated, also at the top between the blocks l.

By constructing a bridge as described, the amount of material required is greatly reduced and the damping effect oifered by solid bridges which tend to interfere with or absorb some of the vibrations, while being transmitted through the bridge to the body of the instrument is practically eliminated.

By forming the leg blocks of a very soft wood, these blocks having their lower faces rounded both transversely and longitudinally as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the area of the points of contact is reduced to the minimum and the soft wood tends to yield under pressure so as not to dig into and mar the surface of the instrument body. These rounded surfaces of the feet also provide means whereby the bridge adapts itself properly to the curvature of the body of the instrument.

In practice it has been found that by using a bridge such as herein described, the tone produced by the instrument is greatly improved.

What is claimed is:

1. A bridge for stringed instruments including spaced walls, connections between the walls at their corners providing an unobstructed space extending between and opening through the sides of the bridge, and feed integral with some of the connections.

2. A bridge for stringed instruments including spaced upwardly converging front and back walls, inserts connecting the walls at the top and bottom thereof and providing an unobstructed space extending between and opening through the sides, top and bottom of the bridge, one of said inserts having a string receiving notch, and feet integral with two of the inserts constituting means for engaging the body of the instrument to support the open bottom of the bridge away from saidbody.

3. A bridge for stringed instruments including spaced upwardly converging walls, inserts connecting the walls and spaced to provide side and bottom openings, one of said inserts having a string receiving notch, and feet integral with two of the inserts constituting means for engaging the body of the instrument to support the open bottom of the bridge away from said body, there being a single unobstructed space between the walls of the bridge and opening upwardly, downwardly and laterally between the inserts.

ERNEST R. 

